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Gang Task Force getting smaller

Police Union says the number of officers working to fight gang violence is dropping.

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Updated: 7:29 PM MDT Aug 7, 2013

Gang Task Force getting smaller

Police Union says the number of officers working to fight gang violence is dropping.

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Updated: 7:29 PM MDT Aug 7, 2013

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WEBVTT BUT THE POLICE UNION SAYS THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS WORKING TO FIGHT IT, IS DROPPING. ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER MIKE SPRINGER JOINS US WITH THE LATEST... DOUG, THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE UNION SAYS THERE ARE NINE OFFICERS ON THE CITY'S GANG TASK FORCE. THEY TRACK ABOUT 120 GANGS WITH NEARLY 11-THOUSAND MEMBERS. UNION SAYS SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE. gangs in the city of albuquerque are a huge problem right now AND THE UNION SAYS THAT PROBLEM IS CAUSED PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE SHINKING NUMBER OF OFFICERS ON THE DEPARTMENT'S GANG TASK FORCE. the city estimates there were about 120 gangs in Albuquerque in 2011 the police union says that number has gone up slightly the last few years, the number of officers working in that gang unit has gone down from 18 in 2011 to just 10 now . THE UNION SAYS THE DEPARTMENT HAS LOST A NUMBER OF OFFICERS TO RETIREMENT NUMBER OF OFFICERS TO RETIREMENT THROUGHOUT INCLUDING THE GANG UNIT. THE UNION WOULD LIKE APD TO ADD ANOTHER 30 OFFICERS TO THE GANG TASK FORCE. that gives you more of an opportunity to focus on individual gangs who are making the biggest names for themselves AND APD SAYS HELP IS ON THE WAY. 30 FIELD OFFICERS WILL START SPECIALIZED GANG TRAINING IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. THAT TRAINING INCLUDES HOW TO RESPOND TO GANG RELATED CALLS AS WELL LEARNING HOW TO ID AND DOCUMENT GANG MEMBERS. BUT THE UNION WANTS A MORE PROACTIVE PLAN. SOT when you're literally being reactive, having to take various calls, do the reports or follow up on the investigations or forward the investigations off it doesn't leave you no time in the day to be proactive THE UNION SAYS THE ONLY REAL SOLUTION IT SEES IS TO HIRE MORE OFFICERS FOR THE GANG UNIT. AS FOR THE TRAINING THOSE 30 FIELD OFFICERS ARE EXPECTED TO GET, APD SAYS THAT WILL BEGIN IN JUST A FEW WEEKS. . DOUG AND SHELLY BACK TO YOU THE MAYOR'S OFFICE SAYS GANG RELATED INCIDENTS HAVE AND WILL REMAIN TO BE A PRIORITY, WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.' POLICE IN A CITY NEAR

Gang Task Force getting smaller

Police Union says the number of officers working to fight gang violence is dropping.